Jellysmack, All Def owner Culture Genesis pledge $25 million for underrepresented creators

Jellysmack‘s latest contribution to the creator economy will uplift individuals from underrepresented backgrounds. The self-proclaimed “global creator company” has teamed up with Culture Genesis for a $25 million initiative that will benefit a diverse group of recipients.

The partnership will bring Jellysmack’s catalog licensing deals to the BIPOC artists, podcasters, musicians, and videomakers who work with Culture Genesis. The five-year-old studio is the current owner of the Black-led content brand All Def, which Culture Genesis acquired in a 2019 deal. Other creators on Culture Genesis’ roster of more than 120 partners include rapper Patrick Cloud and comedian Steve Harvey.

In a statement, Culture Genesis Co-Founder Shaun Newsum said that his company’s mission is to “improve the monetization of YouTube content for diverse creators.” In particular, the Jellysmack/Culture Genesis team-up is looking to reverse the influencer pay gap that continues to affect creators of color. A recent study from Group Black and Nielsen found that Black creators have larger and more engaged followings than their non-Black peers, though their compensation still lags behind by as much as 35%.

“We are proud to join forces with Culture Genesis to help underrepresented creators find new opportunities and growth,” said Adam Goldstein, VP of JellyFi at Jellysmack, in a statement. “This collaboration strengthens our commitment to enabling creators to go bigger. Together, we will create a more inclusive and vibrant creator economy.”

Jellysmack is not the only creator economy company providing equity for creators of color. Catalog licensing innovator Spotter has used a 2022 pact with Havas Media Group to increase its commitment to diverse communities. Last September, Spotter reported that 30% of its funds were going to creators from multicultural backgrounds.

The creators who receive cuts from Jellysmack’s $25 million pool will be able to invest in themselves by funding future productions and developing their online channels. Jellysmack’s financial backing will build on the support Culture Genesis has already delivered to BIPOC creators. The studio says it has paid out $5 million to its partners since 2021.